Water gauge



Patented Oct. 1e, 1923.Y

suenen s. "GARREN,

. warns GAUGE.

' Application filed August'f, 1920. Serial No. 402,362.'

Y Vl'o'aZZ 'whom fit/may cof/techniy Be it known that LGEORGE S.GAnRnN,-a kcitizen oftheUnited States, and a resident of Oak Park, inthecounty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Water Gauges, of Which'the kfollowing is adescription, refj erence `being had to the accompanying drawinggwhichforms a part of my specification. i My-invention relates to improvementsin Water gauges employed inV connection with steam boilers and the'likefor the purpose of indicating the fluid level, under pressure, in theContainers; the invention pertaining to that type of Water gauge whereina metallic shellor casing Vis formed to provide; a watenreceivingchamber in kwith a sight glass which is adapted tocon;` stitute one wallof the chamber, the glass or transparent Wall being removably secured inplace by meansof a suitable gasket yor resilient packing and a metalliccover member which is adapted to be removably bolted or secured to themain member or metallic shell or casing ofthe gauge. t

f The invention more, specifically stated contemplates a constructionywherein such ref lation between the main shell orf casing7 thetransparent wall or sight glass and the metallic cover plate may beeffected that fluid-,tight oints may be provided `by means of a specifictype of gasket or packingelement whereina heateresisting surface will bepresented aty points where the hotwater and steam is likely to havecontactwiththe gasket or packing element; while .at the same time aconstruction is provided wherein un-v due strains and stresses can notbe applied tothe transparent wall orsightglass in securing therespective elements together, as has, however7 been the case in Vwatergauges of this type as heretofore employed.

In water gauges ofthe character towhich my invention relates 'it hasheretofore been the practice to provide a water and: steam.

joint between the metallic members and the sight glass by means of aflat gasket dis-4 posedalong the flat sidesor surfaces of the glassadjacent the edges thereof, whllethe main shellor casing and` the Vcovermember were so constructed that pressure on the inner. and outer flatsurfaces or sides ofthe sight class was Aapplied when securing'the partsrmly together'for the purpose of proconj unction l or oak rank, immers,Assieivon TosAnGnNfr coiirranr; or Clarence, :iL-Liners, .aconronnrronor ILLINoIs.

viding'arsteam-tight connection. k'Such prac! tice necessarily placesthe sight V47'glass under an initial strain, especially where thefastening elements or bolts arel `not-` uniformly opf erated inVpressure-applying direction?VV The strainsfor stresses thusapplied-tothe sight' glass7 and especially where a slight distortionjofthelfmetallic v portion `of the gauge j existsznotonlyresults in-anunequal distribution ofthe 'strain on the glass, but also results u adeficient gauge which, by reason of-.the high and low areas,'that is toIsay,` of .uneven compression ofthe gasket, permits leakage. t

The object 'of my invention istoprovide a gauge wherein the clampingVpressure resulting.;v from securingthe coverv member to the main orivbody Amember will merely be applied to the gasket orpacking and in suchmanner as to cause it to have firmer contact and therefore fluid-'tightrelationwith the edges of the sightglass, with the result that the glasswill not loe subjected to the initial strains-above' referred to. With,my improved gauge,thepressure is applied to `the packing `orgasketelement in such manner that it will be forced againstthe edges ofVthe glass by reasonV of .the elasticity of the packing` or gasketenables itto adjust itself to any deflection or irregularitiesr so as topositively contain the pressure; the portion of thejgasket orl packingwhich may have contact with the 'hot water andV steam being of suchlnature as tozheableto resist the heat of the fluid Vandy thereforelalsoto pre# vent i'iow of the rubber which constitutes the major portion ofthepacking or gasket element, with the result that diminution of t theeubical content of the gasket will be .prevented. r- Y a The aboveenumerated objects and advantages of my invention, as well as other ad?vantages inherent in the construction, will be more fullycomprehendedfrom the detailedvdescription of the accompanying drawing, wherein l lFigure l is afront side elevation of my improved water gauge.

.e Figure 2 is vacross sectional view, taken on the line 2*-2 of Figurel looking inthe direction of the arrows.

taken on the line -3-'-3 of Figure l, looking in the direction of thearrows.

l y Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view- MyinventionY as disclosedin the drawing comprises the mainbody portion 5 of suitable vmetalprovided with the sides or flange. portionsof suitable dimensionstoprovide a Water space or -chamber 7 fwithin the 'main shell or easingv5. The opposite ends of the main shell or 'casing 5v are provided Kwithapertured bosses adapted to receive tubular extensions orconnections 8, 8 whereby properV connection with the lboiler may beeffected to determine the waterlevel in the Vbeveled Yas shown atll. inFigureV 2` `The side or flange portion 6 is not only ofdepthsuliicient'to provide a suitable fluid ehaniber 7, but is also 4adaptedto-'reeeive a portion;

of the sight yglass 12 therebetween as shown in'Figure 2.V Thesightglass12 is inserted only partially into the space within the side or flange;portion 6 and 'is heldin proper, relationv with the` main`slielllorcasing byl a 'w suitable packing element or'gasket 13-which isformed to extendentirely about the narrow sides or edge ofthe glas'sthatis to say at .both sides andboth vends thereof, so as to not onlysnuglyengage with the sidesof the glass but also to form contact withVand bev seatedon the beveled edge `of the side or flangel portion 6 ofthe Casing membert.V Y The packing element V13 is preferablymainlycomposed of rubber, while the innenper imeter thereofandthe sidedisposed toward the portion 6 and therefore ltoward the fluid chamber?is preferably composed of fabric asbestos as shown at 14. ith this oonstruction it-is apparent that therubber will notr behdirectly exposedto the hot water or` steam which may iindpassa'ge intermediate ofV theiglass fand' theV side 4or flange portion@ of the easing 5, where rubberl would be apt to befaflected by theheat and producing lossor-diminution of the oubieal' contentof the packing.A j Y,

#The sight glass 12 surrounded by VJthe packing element lil-*having`been inserted intofpla'ce asjust described, coverniember Caused to flow;suohaction not Vonlyr minimizing its holding:V relation with the A glassand vflange portion of the casing but also i 15 is then placed overVthe-outer'surfaeerbr Y vf side ofthe sight glass andthe'paekingVele-V'nientzthe cover 'member-:V15 vbeing provided fivith a sight opening asat 16,'of less dimensions than the Widthand -length'of theV sightglasslf, in order that the YCover member may partially overlapthe outerface ofthe glass Vas shown in `Figure 2, The cover 1I :prefer to provideathin member 15 isformed withy side portions 17 which are adapted tooverlapor partially telescop'ewithjthe sides or flange, portion 6 ofthemain member '5. ofthe' casing, that is to say, the size of the covermember 15 is such that its'sides will extend topthe outside of theflange portion or 'sides 6 of the main member 5. The side portions 17 ofthe cover member 15 have lateral. extensions or lobes as V at 18, whichare provided with tapped apertures adapiedfto receivetlie threadedportions of the serewbolts 10.

' In order to obviate directcontact.between the cover member 15' andftlieg'sight glass-12, K gasket or cushion strip asiat 19.v Y

V It is -evih-nt'that'w'ith my improved con structmmthe screwing or'fastening together ofthelcas'ing members 5 and 15 will not subjectvthegsight glassto pressure on the opposite-'flat surfaces thereof;'while `theV beveled sijdesor flange-portion V6,V disposed entirelyabout the sight glass,and-formedV Vintegral Vwith, `the main. portion 5jof the .easingwvill force 4th'e/p'ack'ing.into snug relationwiththe'ed'ges or narrow'side's or the" Vsightfl glass; the tightening ofVthe serew bolts @10 inducing the glandvformin'g por? ,tionl 6 ofv themain member 5 .to force the paal-:ing elementk inwardly toward the edgeof, thev sightl glass,.so thaty the-sight.glassis'Y heldinpositionr'elative .to member 5 and 'l chamber 7, merely -bythe-pressureY 0f the sus..Y

gasket or packing element against the sides Y or edges of the glass. `Itisapparent, there-V fore, thatthensight glass in my improvedconstruction is merely subjected tothe boiler pressure or y'pressurewithin the gauge; so that pressurewill be" equally distributedon theentire'f'inner Vface' of thev glass. With A' my improvedcons'truotiom'nin the event" of any leaks o'o'eurrir'igJ tightening of Kthe respectiv'e'V screw-bolts 'can not' applyV undue strains to thesjightjglass and .therefore any irregularities in. the screwingV upofthe .bolts willfin no way affect or cause improper 'strains y on theglass,v as the compressionV strains and `any strains resultingl fromdefA fle'ction' or'distortion in the metal parts willVV be taken Careofby the paeking'element or gasket Alid-without 'transmitting themtofth'eVV l Y Dificultyjhas been encountered with waterV gauges YofthisVgeneral character due tothe action of the steam and water on the-rubberpacking orv` gasket and uneven pressure soV that steam is allowed toseep through or esV Vcapein minute quantities, Itfha's'been- -foiindV inpractice that the minutest'eseapeiofsteam about the' sides of thejsightglass qitiickl'v,"AV 'results'in erosion of lthe V,glass with there#sult that itis V4iin-possiblesubsequently7 even" with anew packing orgasketftn pfoviide a'l fluidtight ,'connectiongfwhile the'sight Vglassby reason offjsueh erosiononfits outer Y Y v Y[13o face becomesunserviceable, although them-.Y

ner and reflex surface thereof is still prac,-

` tically unvvorn, Withthe result thatundue loss and expense isencountered. Y Y

It isapparent from my construction that at no time is it possible toplace the sightv glass .under compression strainsfthrough the clampingor fastening together ofthe metal- 7 lic members, because the entireinner face of y the sight glass 1n no Way contacts with, or

is -opposed by the metal portions of the gauge; the glass being merelysubject to the boiler pressure, While any tightening of the screw-boltsmerely results in a Vfurther coml pression of the packing element,which, by

`INS reason of the formation of the gland forming sides of themainvmember 5 ofthe casing, is wedged toward and into rmer relation withthe edves of the sight glass.

" While l tbelieve theconstruction shown y the invention, it vvill beunderstood that cer`A` tain details may be varied Without, howevelg,

' comprising a bodymember formed to proy vide an open sided Water andsteam cham-V and described tobe the best adaptation of departing fromthe spirit of the invention. 'i

N hat l claim and A Water gauge of the character. described,

ber, said member beinp, provided witha con- Wish to secureby Letytinuous extended kmargin or flangehaving 'inwardly beveled edges toconstitute a gland portion, a sight glass disposed partially in andadapted to overlap the outer face of thesight glass, said cover memberbeing pro-V vided With off-set edges adapted to telescope with the glandportion of the body member,

the body member and cover member being provided with laterally Adisposedcorrelated portions, and fastening means engaging withV saidlaterally'ldisposed portions whereby the f body member Vand cover member are`adjustably secured together, the packing element thereby compressedbetween said gland portion and theV cover member and forced to- Ward theedges of the sight glass.

Vyitnesses; Y

' MARION GARREN, Louis L.',":iMoLINsKLy y' GEORGE s. Gennari

